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Round 25 Vs Cowboys @ QCB Stadium

Iamback

Coach
Messages
19,001
Wade debuted in 2008. I went to the SG Ball final at Leichhardt whether it was 2007 or 2008 I can’t remember, I did a quick google but couldn’t find a definitive answer. Some interesting names do pop up when you google from the past, young players who were talked up, expected to enjoy NRL careers but didn’t for whatever reason.

Found the below in an old thread from here which included Wade.

Harold Matthews Premiership winning side in 06. In bold are the ones who will contest this year's SG Ball in 08.

Penrith Panthers:

1.Lachlan Coote 2.Matthew Wright 3.Stirling Siejka 4.Gavin Taylor 5.Danny Schneider 6.Sam Jones 7.Wade Graham (c) 8.John Feiloakitau 9.Shane Smith 10.Evrett Vaurasi 11.Ben Takaiwai 12.Greg Waddell 13.Mokena Cherrington 14.Dave Farkas 15.Alan Tuiala 16.Andrew Pritchard 17.Lota Fiiaalo18.Grant Leslie 19.John Sialafau 20.Kilifi Tia Kilifi 21.Grant Leslie 22.Daly Thompson 23.Sam Nanai 24.John Sialafau 25.Jordan Tagaloa

We won Matts, Ball and Flegg that year and did nothing with the juniors in the top grade
 

maple_69

Bench
Messages
4,531
The whole machine to convert elite talent into elite players from Elliott down was cooked.

Man Siejka, Waddell, Tia Kilifi, there’s a lot of fruitless hope in those names.
 

Pomoz

Bench
Messages
2,923
The whole machine to convert elite talent into elite players from Elliott down was cooked.

Man Siejka, Waddell, Tia Kilifi, there’s a lot of fruitless hope in those names.
It would never have occured to ME to do what we are doing this week and what we did in SOO. Shuffle all the players up a grade for a few weeks and let them experience the next level and then move them down and rinse and repeat. He had no interest in development.

One of the biggest challenges for a young player who is talented at junior level is that they believe their own hype. They may dominate at junior level because they developed early physically, or are naturally athletic. The trouble is when you get to first grade and come up against a bloke like JWH, a huge man who has been lifting heavy weights for more than 15 years and is strong as an Ox. Your physical domination in the juniors doesn't translate, these hardened monsters just smash you. The high grabby tackles you did against 20 year olds don't work when someone like Mitchell palms you off into the front row of the stand. You have to experience that step up in class so you can decide if you want to do the work to get as good as them.

Staines is a classic example. He was fast and he has good anticipation and reads the game well. But he wasn't strong enough in the tackle and got rag dolled. To his credit, after a few games in first grade he improved a lot in the off season. I expect he will improve again next year as he builds his strength.
 

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,663
You must have had Mrs Kilkenny blowing up balloons for hours….
We had no idea team were staying at the Mercure until we arrived to check in.

Had lunch, half a dozen beers and a couple of glasses of red awaiting there arrival but as of 4pm no sign of them yet.

Back in the room for a much needed nap.

No doubt when I resurface for dinner they will be here, out and about. It’s quite a big resort style hotel so I expect they will have a function area set aside for them to partake in dinner and breakfast in the morning.
 
Messages
4,060
We had no idea team were staying at the Mercure until we arrived to check in.

Had lunch, half a dozen beers and a couple of glasses of red awaiting there arrival but as of 4pm no sign of them yet.

Back in the room for a much needed nap.

No doubt when I resurface for dinner they will be here, out and about. It’s quite a big resort style hotel so I expect they will have a function area set aside for them to partake in dinner and breakfast in the morning.
It will be interesting to see if they leave the regular first graders in Sydney or if they travel.

I can see argument both ways, although slightly prefer them to travel to the game.
 

Kilkenny

Coach
Messages
13,663
It will be interesting to see if they leave the regular first graders in Sydney or if they travel.

I can see argument both ways, although slightly prefer them to travel to the game.
If I can stay sober, I’ll provide an update in due course.

Enjoyed four nights on Magnetic Island before travelling back to Townsville this morning. Have probably over did the food and drink a bit dusty feeling a little worse for wear. There was a big party on the island last night, the beginning of a week of yacht racing events. Met crew members of boats involved in the Sydney to Hobart including one guy who has done it 13 times including being aboard the overall winner on one occasion. He told me the name of the boat , I should have written it down because I have no idea now.
 

Aliceinwonderland

First Grade
Messages
7,808
It will be interesting to see if they leave the regular first graders in Sydney or if they travel.

I can see argument both ways, although slightly prefer them to travel to the game.


I think Ivan said the 1st grade players would be left in Sydney.

On twitter last night saw a photo of Ivan with Hayden Knowles at the Parramatta game. Obviously gaining intel.
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
19,001
It will be interesting to see if they leave the regular first graders in Sydney or if they travel.

I can see argument both ways, although slightly prefer them to travel to the game.

Defeats the purpose if they go,
1-19 should go rest will stay and train. According to the presser
 
Messages
4,060
Defeats the purpose if they go,
1-19 should go rest will stay and train. According to the presser
My preference for them to go is about culture; as far as I can see the singularity of culture is what separates us from other teams at the moment. Travelling the senior guys who aren’t playing to cheer on the team is consistent with that culture; discourages an us and them, tells the young blokes that this game is important etc).

A three hour charter flight (both ways) with no recovery shouldn’t be too taxing on the body; I’d rather that than a bus ride to Canberra (as an example), as long as you stay off the booze. And part of the rationale for the charter is so that the guys can spend Fathers Day with their loved ones, so Sunday isn’t going to be a big training day anyway.
 

Original Name

Juniors
Messages
1,365
My preference for them to go is about culture; as far as I can see the singularity of culture is what separates us from other teams at the moment. Travelling the senior guys who aren’t playing to cheer on the team is consistent with that culture; discourages an us and them, tells the young blokes that this game is important etc).

A three hour charter flight (both ways) with no recovery shouldn’t be too taxing on the body; I’d rather that than a bus ride to Canberra (as an example), as long as you stay off the booze. And part of the rationale for the charter is so that the guys can spend Fathers Day with their loved ones, so Sunday isn’t going to be a big training day anyway.
It's more a mental fatigue thing than anything. Like if you fly up on paper including the day you'd fly back you have x amount of days off. But it's one less than that. Once you've gotten off a 4 hour flight and drove home the day's pretty much over it isn't a real day off.

Travelling on a plane all the time can take a bit out of you. Of course to all the boys who barely play first grade that won't matter at all and they'd be too excited.
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
19,001
My preference for them to go is about culture; as far as I can see the singularity of culture is what separates us from other teams at the moment. Travelling the senior guys who aren’t playing to cheer on the team is consistent with that culture; discourages an us and them, tells the young blokes that this game is important etc).

A three hour charter flight (both ways) with no recovery shouldn’t be too taxing on the body; I’d rather that than a bus ride to Canberra (as an example), as long as you stay off the booze. And part of the rationale for the charter is so that the guys can spend Fathers Day with their loved ones, so Sunday isn’t going to be a big training day anyway.

A morning training session into supporting a severly under strength NSW Cup side, Does plenty for culture too.

They flew up today, fly home tomorrow night so you lose a day preparation. Sunday they might just do video or something, You can start that at 6am like normal. You can't do that if the charter flight gets in at 2am, so wipes another day out
 
Messages
4,060
interview with Ivan approx 5 mins 55 seconds in. Ivan is asked whether first grade players are flying up to Townsville.

Ivan is quite firm in saying no.

Thanks Alice. Pretty unambiguous answer from a man who doesn’t like to give much away.

As mentioned above, I’d have the there. But I am not close to the group and Ivan has built a great culture.
 

Smug Panther

First Grade
Messages
7,004
My preference for them to go is about culture; as far as I can see the singularity of culture is what separates us from other teams at the moment. Travelling the senior guys who aren’t playing to cheer on the team is consistent with that culture; discourages an us and them, tells the young blokes that this game is important etc).

A three hour charter flight (both ways) with no recovery shouldn’t be too taxing on the body; I’d rather that than a bus ride to Canberra (as an example), as long as you stay off the booze. And part of the rationale for the charter is so that the guys can spend Fathers Day with their loved ones, so Sunday isn’t going to be a big training day anyway.
No the whole point was to avoid travel. If this game was in Sydney a few including Luai would have played
 

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